Numbers Sermons (written)

Numbers 19:1-10
The Red Heifer

For the past ten or fifteen years, it has become common for news articles, videos, and discussion boards to claim that the main Jewish religious figures in Israel have finally found the perfect red heifer for once again conducting the temple rites in Jerusalem. It is claimed that without this, temple worship can’t begin again.

This, however, is flawed thinking. The red heifer is noted only now in Numbers. It is completely uncertain when this passage was written, but the fact that it is in Numbers, and the tabernacle was set up at the end of Exodus, clues us into the fact that the red heifer is not necessary for beginning the temple rites.

This is then seen after the first exile when the returnees built the altar of the God of Israel in Ezra 3 in order to offer burnt offerings on it. The red heifer is never mentioned there. They simply built the altar and offered offerings. The other aspects of the law would have been adhered to according to established need.

One can see from the passage that the red heifer is simply used for purification from sin, but the actual sin it purifies from will not be specified until next week’s sermon. For now, it is only described how to get to that which is needed for the purification.

But this passage is only symbolic of what is coming in Christ. It could not actually accomplish what it was given for…

Text Verse: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵ And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:13-15

The author of Hebrews says that what we are looking at today simply sanctified for the purifying of the flesh. Beyond that, it could do nothing to truly restore a person to God. The flesh is at war with God as is perfectly evident from the rest of Scripture.

Only in the coming of Christ is the promise of the eternal inheritance realized. This is what is such a huge shame about Christians who openly applaud, and even financially support, the process of building a new temple, identifying a supposedly perfect red heifer, and joining in with the rites and rituals that are being conducted each year in anticipation of the coming temple.

To them, it is as if this is what God wants, and that we should somehow support it. If that was so, then we would not have the book of Hebrews to cite. Nor would we have any of the other New Testament books to read and celebrate in. The four gospels, Acts, and all of the New Testament letters are given for the purpose of showing that Christ fulfilled these types and shadows, and in His final act in fulfillment of them, He died. At the same time, He initiated a New Covenant which replaces the Old.

It is true that it is exciting that another temple is coming. It is amazing to see the implements being constructed and the rituals being practiced, but instead of rejoicing with Israel over these things, we should mourn for them. In their coming, there is nothing more than a continued rejection of what they only anticipated.

This will, once again, like so many times before, be evident from an evaluation of this passage which is found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

The Red Heifer

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

Once again, as has been seen a few times, the usual address of the Lord speaking only to Moses is departed from in this verse by including Aaron. This has happened from time to time when there is a need for Aaron to be involved in whatever is occurring. Such is the case now.

The passage before us speaks of purification, specifically that of purification from defilement which comes from being physically near death. As death is the final result of sin, it is defiling to touch a dead person, or even be in the immediate presence of one who dies. Purification from this must be accomplished to maintain holiness.

It is not sure when this passage was received, but some speculate that it was actually at the time that the tabernacle was originally erected in Exodus 40. That occurred on the first day of the second month of the second year. In that same month, Numbers 9 says –

“Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. ⁷ And those men said to him, ‘We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?’” Numbers 9:6, 7

Because they were defiled by a corpse, it is assumed by some that this law, now presented in Numbers 19, was already received. That may be so, but it may more likely be that this is a new thought entirely, coming on the heels of the final words of Numbers 17 –

“So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! ¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?’” Numbers 17:12, 13

The people had rebelled several times, and many had died during these rebellions. Finally, at the time of Aaron’s rod which budded, the people realized that death was the inevitable result of their sinning against the Lord, and they were destined to die in the wilderness because of this.

In this, they had been promised that all, twenty and above would die in the wilderness until the generation of the disobedient were consumed. The number of deaths which could be expected on any given day would then be in the hundreds. It was already understood, even from Genesis 2, that death is the result of sin, and that purification from sin was necessary, or further defilement and death would be the natural result.

And so we have a logical progression of thought. There was a challenge to Aaron’s priesthood. That challenge was handled by the Lord in the destruction of the rebels as seen in Chapter 16. From there, Aaron’s authority was definitively established through the budding of his rod in Chapter 17.

After that, the care of the Levitical priesthood through the system of tithes and offerings was detailed in Chapter 18. There, the possibility of death was mentioned four times in various ways. For example, only the priests could perform the duties in the tent of meeting. Anyone else would die. The Lord is instructing the people in holiness, His holiness, and what that means, including death for infractions against it.

Now, in response to terrified cries of the people that whoever comes near the tabernacle must die, the Lord is providing this passage concerning the cleansing of the people from the stain of sin related to death. They could, in fact, approach the sanctuary, but not the tabernacle. The boundaries had been set, but even those who came near the sanctuary to offer an offering must be pure.

Because the tabernacle of the Lord extends logically to cover the entire congregation, the people needed to maintain a state of purification from death. This then is the reason for the placement of the passage here. In Chapter 17, in the cries of the people’s words, “Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die,” a response is given now. In verse 13 of this chapter, we will read –

“Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord.”

In both, the rare term, mishkan Yehovah, or “tabernacle of the Lord,” is used. To be an Israelite, dwelling in the Lord’s presence, and to not be purified from the stain of death, would defile the mishkan Yehovah. The problem of that is thus dealt with now…

² “This is the ordinance of the law

zot khuqat ha’torah – “this, enactment the law.” It is a very rare phrase which combines two common words – khuqat, or “statute,” and torah, meaning “law,” or “instruction.” The two words together in this manner are only seen here and in Numbers 31:21 where purification is again the subject, including the type of purification mentioned in this passage. For this combined form, John Lange provides a general meaning –

“We would read: an ordinance for securing the Torah. Without this expedient, for instance, the law of purification would have occasioned endless offences on the right hand and on the left.” John Lange

In other words, the word torah, or “law,” here is an all-encompassing statement concerning not any given law, but the Law of Moses itself. In order to secure the Law and keep it free from constant defilement in the people, this statute is now being enacted.

^2 (con’t) which the Lord has commanded, saying:

Now the khuqat ha’torah, or “enactment of the law,” is said to be, tsivah, or commanded, by the Lord. There is a definite importance being ascribed to what will be presented. It is binding on all people because it is a part of the mutually agreed-to covenant between the Lord and His people. The Lord, speaking to Moses and Aaron concerning this guidance commanded by the Lord, tells them to…

^2 (con’t) ‘Speak to the children of Israel,

This is then surely in direct response to what they had said to Moses which included Aaron as the recognized high priest –

“So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!” Numbers 17:12

The children of Israel spoke to Moses in terror. The Lord will now speak to the children of Israel, through Moses and Aaron, concerning instruction on how to avoid that terror.

^2 (con’t) that they bring you

The word “you,” is second person, singular. It thus explains the inclusion of Aaron more fully. What is to be brought is probably not to be brought to Moses. He is the lawgiver, and that job is a one-time position which will not be repeated during the period of the law. Rather, it is to be brought to the high priest, whoever he is, that fills the position. Aaron is representative of the position.

^2 (con’t) a red heifer without blemish,

parah adumah temimah – “heifer red without blemish.” The obvious questions which arise from this are 1) Why a heifer? 2) Why red? And 3) Does “without blemish” qualify the color red, meaning “entirely red,” or is “without blemish” expanded upon by the coming words concerning no defect? The Hebrew could go either way.

Some scholars look to this as a symbolic rejection of the rites and rituals of Egypt. The heifer was sacred to the Egyptians, and so only bulls were sacrificed. Specifically, they sacrificed red bulls to their demon god Typhon. Thus, in using a red heifer, they were rejecting the rites and practices of Egypt. This is not sound. The Lord isn’t asking His people to look back on and reject Egypt. He is – as always – giving types and pictures of Christ to come.

The specificity of the red color is the only time such a requirement is made in the sacrificial system. At all other times, the type and sex of the animal are specified, but never the color.

The color adom, or red, is given as a direct tie to Adam, or humanity. The name Adam, and the word “man,” or adam, come from the word adom – both the verb and noun signify “red.” It is either the state of being red, or the action of making red. Esau was called Edom because of the adom, or red, soup. That was the only time the noun has been used, until now. Remembering what that story pictured, connects us to this requirement now.

The verb form was used in the construction of the tabernacle with the “rams skins dyed red.” It is seen ten times, and it comes from the idea of being made red, or to show blood in the face. The use of those ram skins dyed red pictured Christ’s covering of our sins. That is then explained by the use of the verb adom in Isaiah –

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’
Says the Lord,
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.’” Isaiah 1:18

After this, Paul explains how this points to Christ in his second letter to the Corinthians –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The red looks to Christ the Man, formed out of the earth, and thus it made possible His sacrificial work on our behalf. As for it being a heifer, meaning a female, The word parah, or heifer, is the feminine of par, a young bull or steer. That is associated with parar, meaning to break forth or frustrate, and thus to break, such as in a covenant, or to annul it.

As this is for the purification from sin, the idea of destroying its effect is an obvious connection to that. That it is a female looks to the initial cause of sin in man, not his actual sin, but what precipitated it –

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6

That is then explained by Paul –

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:14

It is the woman who was deceived through her weak nature. Christ came born of a woman and bore the same weak nature that all humans possess. That is explained by the author of Hebrews –

“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.” Hebrews 5:1, 2

That it is a heifer looks to Christ the Man who came subject to weakness, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

Earlier, it was questioned concerning the word, temimah, or without blemish. Does the word qualify “red,” or is it qualified by “no defect?” In other words, does the word best translate as “without blemish,” meaning pure red, or does it best translate as “perfect,” meaning without defect?

First, all traditions hold that it qualifies “red,” and there is no obvious reason to go against that. Further, that there is no other sacrifice where the specific color is designated would certainly argue for the word qualifying “red.” Not only is it to be red, but wholly red. However, the word mum, or defect, in the next clause is used to qualify and explain the word tamim, or without blemish, elsewhere, such as in Leviticus 22:1 –

“And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect (tamim) to be accepted; there shall be no defect (mum) in it.”

Without being dogmatic, because we are speaking of a heifer and not a dog, I would – after talking it over with Sergio – go with the latter. Red is specified, without any other word which could very easily have been translated as “wholly,” thus indicating totally red. The picture of Christ’s humanity is sufficiently described with the single word, adom, or red. It is not His humanity that takes away our sins, but rather His perfect humanity which does.

Because of the specificity of the perfection of the peace offering, and that it should be without defect as well, is sufficient for us to consider the same here. And that is then actually revealed as what is necessary to picture Christ in the New Testament –

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19

It is not any man that can take away sin, but a Man without blemish, meaning perfect, and without spot, and without defect or defilement. The huge number of traditions which have been heaped up by the Jews concerning single white or black hairs of this red heifer making it unacceptable as a sacrifice have not highlighted the obvious pictures of the coming Christ, but rather they have only diminished them. That it is without blemish looks to Christ the sinless Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

^2 (con’t) in which there is no defect 

ain bah mum – “not there is defect.” As we just saw, this certainly qualifies and further explains the words “without blemish.” Christ came in perfection, He lived in perfection, and He died… in perfection. That the red heifer had no defect looks to Christ the perfect Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

^2 (con’t) and on which a yoke has never come.

lo alah aleha ol – “not which has gone up on a yoke.” The ol, or yoke, is a picture of bondage. It comes from a root meaning, “to affect thoroughly.” This perfect red heifer, without defect, was also to have never been yoked. The idea of a yoke on an animal is subjection. On a person, it then conveys the idea of degradation.

It would be unbefitting of the purpose of the rites, for which this heifer was to be used, for it to have been placed under a yoke. But more, this looks to Christ who, though born under the yoke of the law was born sinless under that yoke. In other words, the law is a yoke because of sin. For one who is sinless, and who remains sinless, there is no yoke of bondage; there is no subjugation to sin. Thus, what will happen with this heifer for the people will look to what Christ does for His people –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

In addition to His state under the law, this not being yoked is certainly explained in Christ’s voluntary service before the Lord. As a yoke implies bondage and forced labor, an animal that has never been yoked has lived free from such constraints. Such was true with Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains it –

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹ then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰ By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:8-10

Christ voluntarily came to do God’s will, and He voluntarily placed himself under the law. His sacrifice replaced these very sacrifices which are mentioned under the law, because His covenant replaced the covenant through which they came. What could never actually bring God pleasure is replaced by that which pleased God the most.

That this red heifer was never yoked looks to Christ the sinless Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

³ You shall give it to Eleazar the priest,

The name Eleazar essentially means “Whom God helps.” He is the third son of Aaron, but the oldest remaining son. The very use of His name looks to the work of Christ. Whom God helps, He helps through Christ.

The son, not Aaron, goes because there will be a resulting defilement from the performance of these duties as will be seen in verse 7. As Aaron was to never allow himself to become defiled in this manner, the rite is transferred to the son. It is again reflective of Christ as is recorded by Paul –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The son became unclean through the rite; God’s Son took on our uncleanness through His work. For now in Numbers, it is this son who is to receive the heifer…

^3 (con’t) that he may take it outside the camp,

Outside of the camp is where defilement is. It is where those who are unclean are sent. It is where the world at large is. As this was to be for the cleansing from defilement caused by death, and as death is the result of sin, the animal and its death were not taken to the altar for sacrifice, but outside the camp – away from the presence of the Lord. The connection to Christ is obvious –

“For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” Hebrews 13:11, 12

The sanctification of the people was accomplished by the Lord as He hung outside the gate of Jerusalem. Every word so far has shouted out the magnificent wonder of what Jesus Christ did for His beloved people.

^3 (con’t) and it shall be slaughtered before him;

The subject in the clauses is indefinite, “that may take it outside,” and “shall be slaughtered.” This is because it was not the priest who slaughtered the animal, but rather, it was someone unspecified. The reason for this is that though man led Christ outside of the city, and though man crucified Christ, it was God who ordained that it should be so.

The picture of Abraham, leading his son to be sacrificed on Mount Moriah, as being typical of God the Father and God the Son, once again comes to light here. But, the animal is slaughtered before the priest who then testifies to the death. This is seen in Matthew 27 where it is noted that the chief priests stood and witnessed the crucifixion of Christ.

⁴ and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting.

With the sacrifice of the animal complete, Eleazar was to take some of the blood of the heifer, and nazah, or sprinkle, it seven times directly toward the face of the Tent of Meeting. He actually would do this from the place outside the camp, not in the sanctuary. As he is considered unclean, so he remains defiled until evening.

With this act, the blood of the heifer, meaning the death of the heifer, becomes an actual sacrificial offering to the Lord. Thus, Eleazar, or Whom God Helps, is representative of Christ who is equated to the Finger of God in Luke 11:20.

The word finger, or etsbah, comes from another word, tsebah, which indicates dyed material, and thus one gets the idea of grasping something. Therefore, the finger is that which accomplishes a task. The creation is said to be the work of the Lord’s fingers in the 8^th Psalm. But the Bible also records that the creation is accomplished through Christ.

Thus, in this verse, the shed blood is Christ the innocent Substitute and Sacrifice. Eleazar is Christ the Priest. The finger is Christ who accomplishes the work of purification. The seven sprinklings are the perfection of Christ’s blood presented before God as an acceptable purification from sin resulting from touching that which is dead.

⁵ Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned.

This is the same thing that was to be done to the sin offerings of the anointed priest, the sin offering for the entire congregation, the sin offering for the ordination of Aaron and his sons, and the sin offering on the Day of Atonement. This is not a picture of Christ’s sufferings. The animal is already dead. This reflects something entirely different. Further, this is the only time that blood is said to be burnt as a part of the sacrifice.

The word used here for “burn” here is saraph. It is the word used, for example, when burning a leprous garment. It is never used in the sense of an offering. Rather, it more reflects the rejection of a thing, and a divine purification through incineration. It is a picture of the consequences of sin, the Lake of Fire. The body of Christ became an unclean thing before God in order to purify man from the stain of death. And so even this verse completely and wholly pictures Christ and His sacrifice for us. Next…

⁶ And the priest shall take cedar wood

Now the priest is instructed to take certain things. It is similar to that which was seen in a particular ritual in Leviticus 14. The first item is ets eretz, or wood cedar. The word eretz is derived from a root which means to be firm, or strong. It is the same word used to describe the cedars of Lebanon and even the cedars of God in Psalm 80. Thus they are large, magnificent, firmly fixed trees.

This part of the rite indicates permanence. It carries the strength of the process. It is symbolic of Christ who is the strength of God for salvation. As Paul says in Romans 5 –

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

^6 (con’t) and hyssop

v’ezov, or “and hyssop,” is taken as well. The word hyssop that we use today comes from the Hebrew through the Greek. In Greek, it is hussopos, a transliteration from the Hebrew ezov. You can hear the similarity ezov/hyssopos/hyssop. It is an herb native to the Middle East and elsewhere. It has antiseptic, cough-relieving, and expectorant properties.

Because of this, it is used as an aromatic herb and for medicine. It is a brightly colored shrub with dark green leaves. During the summer, it produces bunches of pink, blue, or, more rarely, white fragrant flowers. It is contrasted to the cedar in 1 Kings 4, showing its diminutive size –

“He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. ³³ Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.” 1 Kings 4:32, 33

Whereas the cedar denoted firmness and strength, the hyssop denotes humility. Other than the one instance given by Solomon, it is always used in the Bible in conjunction with purification. Paul shows us how this humble plant, used in purification, looks forward to Christ –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

^6 (con’t) and scarlet,

u-sh’ni tolaat, or “and scarlet (of the) crimson grub worm,” is to be brought. The implication is scarlet yarn. Two words here are used to describe the color. The first is shani, which means “scarlet.” The second is tola. This is actually a worm known as the crimson-grub. However, it is used only in this manner concerning the color from it, and cloths dyed with it.

Taken together, they are translated as “scarlet,” but implying the scarlet which comes from the tola or grub worm. The scarlet, or red, in the Bible pictures and symbolizes war, blood, and/or judgment. In this case, it is judgment, as in judgment on sin. Thus, the sh’ni tolaat, or scarlet of the crimson grub worm, pictures Christ who is described by the same word, tola, in the 22^nd Psalm, a psalm about the cross of Christ –

“But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.” Psalm 22:6

The judgment is what happened at the cross of Christ, and this is what the scarlet signifies here. As repeated from an earlier sermon a description of this crimson dye, which is obtained from the tola is given to us by Henry Morris –

“When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might ‘bring many sons unto glory.’ He died for us, that we might live through him!” Henry Morris

After this, the priest is instructed…

^6 (con’t) and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.

The body of the unblemished, and defect-free red heifer has all of these things, representing the attributes of Christ, cast into the fire with it. Think of it! The perfect, sinless Man, who died in weakness, is described by what these articles imply. The casting of them into the fire with the body is signifying exactly that.

His perfections are what are being consumed with His body so that purification for any who have come into contact with death may be purified from that. As all have sinned, all have come into contact with death. But the purification of Christ is sufficient to cleanse any and all who will receive what He accomplished for them.

⁷ Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening.

This is now another note of uncleanness in the process. There was the taking of the animal outside the camp. There was the death of the animal, meaning its state in death. There was the burning of the animal in its entirety. Through these unclean things, the priest is made unclean.

Think of it, the process which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn, makes the attending priest unclean, implying that touching the blood used in the rite of sprinkling, meaning the proof of death, has made him unclean. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

Because of this, he was required to accomplish certain rites of purification already laid out in Leviticus. The washing of the garments, the bathing in water, and waiting until evening were all required.

The reason for the uncleanness lasting until evening is because the evening is the start of a new day. Thus, a picture of the work of Christ is made. Through the death of Christ, man enters into a new Day where all things are made new. It doesn’t matter if a person is made unclean 20 minutes after evening, meaning he is unclean for 23 hours and 40 minutes, or if he is made unclean 15 minutes before evening. In Christ, one is cleansed for the new Day.

⁸ And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening.

As the priest is made unclean through the rite, so is the one who burns the heifer made unclean. He too must wash his garments, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening.

Think of it. The process which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn makes the one who conducts the burning of the animal unclean. Implying that the burning of the animal causes uncleanliness. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

⁹ Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer,

Now a clean man is specifically called in to gather up the ashes of the heifer. The implication is that the other people who are unclean cannot conduct this part of the rite without somehow defiling the ashes. This is only the second time that epher, or ash, has been mentioned in the Bible. As normal in the Hebrew, the word is singular, ash. IT is what remains of a thing, and thus it reflects the whole thing.

Ash carries a couple of ideas. First, it reflects judgment, as when Abraham said, I am but dust and ashes. He was indicating that he was created from the dust, and all he deserved was being reduced to ashes in judgment. It also carries the idea of mourning, as when one puts ashes on the head to reflect the state in which they feel they exist. Thus, a clean person was to come and collect the ashes.

^9 (con’t) and store them outside the camp in a clean place;

The ashes, which were collected by a clean person, are to be stored outside the camp, not inside the camp. However, they were to be in a clean place outside the camp. This implies that they would defile the camp if they were brought in. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

^9 (con’t) and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification;

Here the term is l’me niddah, or “for water of impurity.” It signifies water by which impurity is removed. The ashes would be taken and mixed with water and then used to purify. This process will be described in the verses ahead. It is then further described as…

^9 (con’t) it is for purifying from sin.

khathat hi, or “sin, it.” Here the word “sin” signifies the offering for the sin. It is what takes the place of the sin, and thus it is called “sin.” It is reflective, then, of Christ who became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.

¹⁰ And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening.

Like the attending priest, and like the one who burned the heifer, this person who was clean, and who then gathered up the ashes for cleansing of those who are defiled by the state of death, has become unclean, and will remain that way until evening.

Think of it, collecting the ashes of the heifer which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn, makes the one who collects them unclean. Implying that the ashes carry uncleanliness. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

*^{10 (fin)} It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

Here, it is acknowledged that this rite of purification applied to both the children of Israel, and to the stranger, meaning the foreigner, who dwelt among them. And it applied for the entire time of the Mosaic law. As long as the law existed, and until it was replaced by the New Covenant in Christ, it remained in effect. As the typology points to Christ, it indicates – even from the Mosaic Law – that cleansing from such impurity was intended for both Jew and Gentile.

The question has been asked several times. “How can something that defiles bring about cleansing?” Again and again, being physically in contact with each part of the rite brought about a state of uncleanness. And yet, it is the very substance produced in this process of death which then is given as the only thing to purify from contact with the dead. How is this possible?

The answer is, of course, found in Christ. In Christ’s death, He took upon Himself all of the sin of the world, becoming – as we have already heard twice – sin. His body became the very thing that could cleanse us of our sin. But because His body was dead, literally and truly, it was considered unclean under the Law of Moses.

Anyone who touched it would be rendered unclean, and yet, in the completion of His work, meaning being found sinless before the Father, He was raised to eternal life. In this, our sin which was imputed to Him was washed away, and His body, which had died and was deemed unclean, became the only true way of cleansing humanity from the defilement caused by death. As John Lange says, “…death was to be put to death by this death of the most perfect blooming life.”

As all humans have been born with sin, all have had contact with death, and therefore, only Christ can purify us from what this red heifer anticipated. Everything under the law was external and shadowy. It could not actually cleanse from sin, nor could these things actually bring the unclean to a state of purity. They looked ahead to Him, and in Him is found the fulfillment of the many types, shadows, and pictures found in today’s beautiful passage.

Closing Verse: “Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴² So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” John 19:40-42

Next Week: John 16:19-22 God has something incredible planned. Hoo yeah and oh boy! (Your Sorrow Will Be Turned Into Joy) (Resurrection Day sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Red Heifer

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying
These are the words He was to them then relaying

“This is the ordinance of the law as I am relaying
Which the Lord has commanded, saying:

‘Speak to the children of Israel
That they bring you a red heifer without blemish
———-whether one or some
In which there is no defect
And on which a yoke has never come 

You shall give it to Eleazar the priest
But this is just a prelim
That he may take it outside the camp
And it shall be slaughtered before him

And Eleazar the priest shall
Take some of its blood with his finger
———-I know there is no need for repeating
And sprinkle some of its blood seven times
Directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting

Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight
———-as you have now learned
Its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned 

And the priest shall take cedar wood
And hyssop and scarlet too
And cast them into the midst
Of the fire burning the heifer
———-so he shall do 

Then the priest shall wash his clothes
He shall bathe in water as well
And afterward he shall come into the camp
The priest shall be unclean until evening
———-as to you I now tell 

And the one who burns it shall
Wash his clothes in water, so he shall do
Bathe in water also
And shall be unclean until evening too 

Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer
And store them outside the camp in a clean place
And they shall be kept for the congregation
———-of the children of Israel
For the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin
———-so that of sin there will be no trace 

And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer
Shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening too
It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel
And to the stranger who dwells among them
———-as I am instructing you

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 18:20-32
The Levitical Priesthood, Part II

The thirteen verses we will look over today mention a tithe five times. That’s as many as have been seen in all of Genesis through Leviticus so far. The first two in Genesis predate the law and are not considered in what we will look at today, except in our final analysis of the subject. Until then, we will evaluate the verses as usual. When we get about halfway through the sermon, a full explanation of why mandatory tithing is simply not an acceptable practice in the church will be given, but evaluating the verses first is needed.

The law’s introduction of the tithe in Leviticus is now going to be expanded on here, but this is not the end of it. Before we finish the Law of Moses, we will see the tithe again in Deuteronomy also. Each time, what is said builds upon what has been said. It is what we would call “progressive revelation.” God introduces a subject, and then He expands on it, clarifies it, or replaces it with another precept as redemptive history moves on.

As tithing is one of the most misunderstood precepts by congregants, and most abused by clergy, in the church, I am going through it in detail, again, today as I have done in the past. And yes, I will do so, again, when we get to Deuteronomy.

There are a few good reasons for this. First, we all forget and need reminders. Secondly, I want you perfectly trained on what it means to give within a Christian context. And third, I love that I can cut and paste things that I have already preached on, weaving the thoughts together in a new way, and yet save a couple of hours on sermon typing. It is like a donut with glaze and with sprinkles too.

Text Verse: “Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.” Nehemiah 13:12

Nehemiah notes that all of Judah brought in their tithes as commanded by the Law of Moses. Good job Judah!

Question: Are we Judah? Are we under the Law of Moses? The answer to both is, “No,” but just in case you are not sure about that, we’ll go over it a bit later in the sermon. John Lange knew the answer to that, but he makes an incorrect analogy concerning the verses we are looking at today. He says –

The tenth of the tenth a heave-offering for the priests. Thus the members of the church that are most alive are the best supporters of the official pastorate.

He here equates the Levites who gave the tithe of their tithe to the priests as “the most alive” of the members of the church and also “the best supporters of the official pastorate.” Is that correct? Is there a set category of Christians who are marked by how much they give, or if they give a certain percent of what they make?

And to think that through even more, are you mandated in the New Covenant to give a certain portion of what you make. If so, and if you are being compared to the Levites in doing so, then who is giving to you? I mean, Israel was told to give to the Lord for the Levites, and the Levites were told to give to the Lord from there. If you are “the most alive” and “the best supporters of the official pastorate,” then that must be because someone is giving a tithe to you so that you can then give on a tithe of that to the pastorate.

Do you see the problem with that analysis? What we need in our theology is clarity of thought. John Lange is one of my favorite scholars, but he, like most commentators I read week to week, though being very clear on most subjects, suddenly lose clarity of thought in his theology when it comes to… tithing.

If you want clarity of thought, stick to the word, in context. Marvels of clarity are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. I Am Your Portion and Your Inheritance (verses 20-24)

²⁰ Then the Lord said to Aaron:

Here again, as in verse 1, the word “said” is used instead of “spoke,” which was used in verse 8. In saying “said,” it implies that a task is required beyond simply receiving commands. So far, all three addresses have been to Aaron alone.

^{20 (con’t)} “You shall have no inheritance in their land,

The words are in the second person, singular. Aaron is singled out, and yet he will not enter into Canaan. But, as the high priest, he stands as representative over all of the Levitical priesthood. This doesn’t mean just the priests, but all of Levi, as has been seen, and as will continue to be explained.

Here the word nakhal, or inheritance, is used. It means “to take possession,” or “inherit.” When Israel enters into Canaan, Levi will not take possession of any land for themselves. When the land divisions are made among the tribes, there will be none made for Levi. This is the first time it is explicitly said that there will be no inheritance for Levi, although it was alluded to in the instructions for the redemption of property in Leviticus 25.

^{20 (con’t)} nor shall you have any portion among them; 

Now the word kheleq, or portion, is used. It comes from khalaq, signifying to divide, and thus it would be an allotment. The normal order of land division and inheritance for the society would not be seen in the Levitical priesthood. But they were not left empty-handed…

^{20 (con’t)} I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

This explains what had been said concerning the sacrifices and offerings mentioned in the first nineteen verses, and it will continue to be explained in the collecting of tithes for the Levites and for the priests in the coming twelve verses. There was to be no landed property for Aaron, meaning the Levitical priesthood, because the Lord is both his portion and his inheritance.

Cities were to be set aside for the Levites, but they were not to be involved in agricultural pursuits as were the rest of the people of Israel. They were to be entirely devoted to the service of the Lord, and, therefore, they were not to be engaged in other types of manual labor and industry, nor in warfare.

In the dividing of the spoils of war, a portion of those spoils was taken out, not for Levi, but for the Lord. This then was given to Levi who “kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord” (Numbers 31:47). That which belonged to the Lord would tend to their needs, and thus He would be both their portion and their inheritance. The thought presented here is such a great honor, that in the psalms, even non-Levites claimed that their portion was not truly of this world, but it was the Lord Himself, such as with David –

“I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, ‘You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.’” Psalm 142:5

The author of Lamentations, believed to be Jeremiah, of the priests of Israel, called out in a similar manner. While the land around him was being destroyed by the invading army of Babylon, Jeremiah remembered what the Lord had promised here in Numbers –

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:22-24

²¹ “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel

Here is seen for the fifth time in Scripture the maaser, or tithe. It comes from asar, meaning “ten,” and thus it is a “tenth.” Please note that the Hebrew says, “all tithe,” not “all the tithes.” The word is singular and there is no article. Thus, that which is set apart as a tithe is meant here. If your Bible has “the” before “tithe,” or an “s” on tithe, make a note of correction.

The Lord says that all tithe in Israel is given to the children of Levi, but no further explanation is given. The implication, then, is that the tenth portion, or tithe of Israel, belongs to the Lord. As it belongs to Him, He has the right to portion it out as He determines. This has already been explicitly seen in Leviticus 27 –

“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30

That this is the Lord’s, and it is His to determine what is done with it, is important to remember because what is described here in Numbers is not the end of the story concerning the tithes. If one were to use Numbers 18 alone as their explanation of what Israel did with the tithes, they would have a faulty view of the matter.

In his commentary on this verse, Charles Ellicott says, “The reference here is to the first tithe, or tenth of the whole of the produce of the land.” He and various other scholars, state that this tithe is different than the tithe as recorded in Deuteronomy. This is wholly inaccurate. There is no such thing as a “first tithe” and a “second tithe.” Man, not Scripture, has formed that terminology and the faulty doctrine which proceeds from it. As we do not want you to have a faulty view of the tithes, the whole matter will be explained, again, during this sermon.

^{21 (con’t)} as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

The tithe, which belongs to the Lord, is its own nakhalah, or inheritance for Levi. This not only included agricultural products, but also of the livestock, as was also seen before in Leviticus 27 –

“And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:32

The Lord is Levi’s inheritance and portion; the tithe belongs to the Lord; the Lord gives the tithe as an inheritance. This is said to be kheleph, or “an exchange,” for the work they perform. It is a new noun which is only seen here and in verse 31. It comes from the verb khalaph, which means “to pass away or through.” The idea, then, is that the tithe passes through the Lord to Levi in return for their work at the tent of meeting. Therefore…

²² Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.

The idea here is that Israel had fashioned all of the implements for the sanctuary, but once they were dedicated to the service of the Lord, they were no longer common. The sanctuary was where the people met with the Lord, but they were restricted entirely from the tent of meeting, which included the brazen altar. They could only bring forward their offerings, and from there, the Levites assisted the priests, but even the Levites had restrictions upon them. Should the non-Levitical Israelites come near the tent of meeting, they would incur, and thus bear, sin and die…

²³ But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity;

v’abad ha’levi hu – “and work the Levite he.” The masculine clearly shows that this is speaking of the individual male Levite. He shall perform the work of the tent of meeting, and bear the iniquity of the children of Israel. The purpose of Levi was to stand between Israel and the priests. This was seen in Numbers 8 –

“And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” Numbers 8:19

Thus, the intent of the words, “bear their iniquity,” is that Levi bore the iniquity of the people. They were set apart to accomplish these duties, and thus they could bear the people’s iniquity before the Lord, whereas the common people could not.

^{23 (con’t)} it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Because what belonged to the Lord was given to them, making the Lord their inheritance, they were to have no inheritance in Canaan. This was to be “forever,” meaning until the ending of the Law of Moses. As the law is annulled in Christ, so is the statute.

²⁴ For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance;

The words here begin to explain the fault of what some call, “the second tithe,” as if two tithes were required of Israel. That which is offered to the Lord as a heave offering is given to the Levites as their inheritance. Not all of the tithes were offered up to the Lord in this way. Again, this verse says, “tithe” not “the tithes.” That which was not referred to here is dealt with separately as is described in Deuteronomy 14. Coming soon to an explanation near you.

^{24 (con’t)} therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’”

Because the tithe of Israel is to be reckoned as the Levites’ produce of the land, they shall have no inheritance. The very fact that they benefited off of the inheritance of Israel, in place of the firstborn of Israel, meant that they would have no inheritance of their own.

Give a tithe, this is what you are instructed to do
Give that tithe, just as the preacher does say
Are you questioning the preacher? Who are you?
Give that tithe as you are told; be sure that you pay

How can you receive God’s grace if you don’t give?
You must not understand what grace means at all
Oh my goodness, is it by grace that you live?
If that’s what you think, you’re headed for a fall

Grace in this church means give, give, and give
Of course that’s what it means, that’s how you get grace!
What? Do you think it’s a gift? Is that how you live?
You have misunderstood, and you will not finish this race!

II. The Tithes of the Levites (verses 25-32)

²⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

The address of the Lord now returns to Moses, and it is the word “spoke,” not “said.” It is simply commands which are to be passed on and acted upon, specifically for the Levites. As it might appear that the priests were attempting to gain unapproved advantage over the Levites, and as Moses is not a priest, it is appropriate that the Lord speaks this through him and not Aaron…

²⁶ “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe.

The command is for the Levites to take a tenth from the tithe that they have received from their tithe (it is singular and there is no “the” before “tithe” – correct your Bible if necessary) of the children of Israel, which was considered their inheritance. They are then to offer that part up as Yehovah’s heave offering. It is not “to the Lord,” but the Hebrew says, “heave offering Yehovah.”

It is a tenth of a tithe. That this is again called a heave offering, in and of itself, shows that only that which is presented to the Lord is considered in these verses. Any other uses for the annual tithes, not presented as heave offerings, are dealt with separately.

²⁷ And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress.

Just as Israel had the mandate of passing on a tithe to the Lord for the Levites, so they now have a mandate of passing their own tithe to the Lord. This would be deemed as if they had given of the produce of their own land, if they had been given an inheritance. Here, the yeqev, or wine vat, is seen for the first of sixteen times. It comes from an unused root meaning “to excavate.” Thus, it is a trough which has been dug out.

²⁸ Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel,

This is the first of four times that the word “tithe” is plural. The other three are all referring to the tithes of the people as described in Deuteronomy 12:6 & 11, and Amos 4:4. The Levites were to make their own tithe Yehovah’s heave offering. Again, like verse 26, it is the Lord’s heave offering.

^{28 (con’t)} and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest.

This tithe, called “the Lord’s heave offering,” becomes the property of Aaron the priest, meaning the priestly line which descends from him. Thus, because the Lord is their inheritance, and because this is the Lord’s heave offering, the offering itself is reckoned as a part of their inheritance.

²⁹ Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.’

Not only were the Levites to take a tithe of their tithe and offer it up as a heave offering, but they were to also take the best portion of all of the gifts they received according to law – in addition to the tithe – and they were to offer those up as the Lord’s heave offering.

The term “best portion” in Hebrew says, the “fat of them.” Fat signifies the best. If you remember from Leviticus, the special fat portions of the sacrifices were always burnt on the altar to the Lord, because they pictured Christ. Here that fat portion is then called miqdesho, or the sacred, holy portion.

³⁰ Therefore you shall say to them: ‘When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress.

The meaning of this is that when the Levites had made a dedication of the fat, meaning the best, of what they had received – tithe and gifts – then the remaining portion belonged to them just as if they had worked in the fields, threshing floor, and winepress for it. They could do whatever they wished with it – eat it, sell it, store it up, or whatever. It was their property to dispense with as they chose.

³¹ You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting.

What the Levites received, and which was described in the previous verse, could be eaten anywhere, just as any Israelite could eat what they had earned. This was based on their work in the tent of meeting. Thus, the word “reward” here is not a good translation. It should say, “your wages.”

The word is sakar, and it signifies that which is earned. It is the basis for the name Issachar, which Leah claimed came through having earned another child through the giving of her maid to her husband.

The reason for this verse, is because the priests were often limited in where they could eat certain things, and also who could participate in those meals – such as only the males, or only those who were clean. No such restrictions were levied upon the Levites in the consumption of their earnings.

³² And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it.

The implication is that by not offering up the best portion of the tithe and gifts they had received, they would – in fact – bear sin. The Lord had determined what was holy and sacred, and He had given commandments in regards to that. Thus, to ignore the commands was to ignore the Lord. This, in turn, was sin.

*^32 (fin) But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.’”

The Lord had just called these tithes and offerings from the Levites “Yehovah’s heave offering” which then belonged to the priests. Verse 18:10 said of such things, “In a most holy place you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you.” Therefore, if the Levites failed to make Yehovah’s heave offering, it would profane what they had received as “holy gifts of the children of Israel.” In this, they would incur guilt, and they are now told that in this, they would die.

Lord, search me out in my desire to give
Help me to do so only with a cheerful heart
I know that it isn’t by buying You off that I will live
And that You aren’t checking my percent and making a chart

A clean heart You desire, that is sure
I know this is so; Your word says as much
I am saved by grace alone; only Jesus makes me pure
And You are not swayed by a monetary touch

We cannot buy off our sins; only Jesus paid that price
And so when we give, it must be with a grateful heart
Help us to be thankful once, and then thankful twice
Help us to hold fast to Your grace, and from it never to part

III. Old Covenant Tithing; New Covenant Giving

Tithing is a Mosaic Covenant precept which is never mentioned in the New Covenant with the exception of Hebrews where the author shows how tithing makes a theological point about the superiority of Christ Jesus over the law. It in no way prescribes the practice.

As for the Old Testament, the first time giving a tenth is mentioned was in Genesis 14 after Abraham defeated the four kings of the east. At that time it said this –

“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ And he blessed him and said:

‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
²⁰ And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’
And he gave him a tithe of all.” Genesis 14:18-20

After this, giving a tenth is mentioned by Jacob when he was in Bethel, ready to go to Padan Aram. After his vision in the night, he set up a pillar and made a vow that if God took care of him and brought him safely again to his father’s house, the Lord would be his God. After that he said –

“And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

In this, the Bible never says what, if anything, Jacob did with his tenth. Will he give a tenth for building and maintaining an altar? Will he throw a party for his family and rejoice in the Lord through songs and praise? It doesn’t say. The promise is made and nothing else is stated.

Regardless of this, both of these accounts are descriptive. They prescribe nothing, and they cannot be used as a case for tithing. Some preachers, however, will point to those two passages and claim that because they precede the law, the tithe is an eternal standard for man. They further claim that it then falls under the “law of first mention,” meaning that something mentioned for the first time is to be upheld after that.

Guess what? There is no such law in Scripture. If there were, then all first mentions would be, by default, an eternal standard, and thus, law. Bringing the firstborn of the flock to the Lord would be mandatory. The first mention of taking a second wife would become the precedent. We would have to marry our oldest daughters off before our younger ones could marry.

If our son died, we would be giving his widow to our next son to raise up children in the first son’s name. One would have to be circumcised in order to be saved (something Paul argues directly against). Every time we made an agreement with someone, we would have to offer seven ewe lambs to the one we made the agreement with. We would also be paying dowry’s for our wives, giving our firstborn a double portion of the inheritance, and observing the weekly Sabbath. Do the preachers who hold to the law of first mention observe a Saturday Sabbath? No! We would also be observing those pilgrim feasts mentioned in Exodus which predate the law. On and on and on it would go. There would be hundreds of such things we would be required to do. Also, if the law of first mention were true, Nehemiah would have referred to it in our text verse today.

The law of first mention was certainly made up by someone who knew what the law of tithing actually says, and didn’t want to let go of the precept of beating ten percent out of his flock. The reason I say this is that what the Law of Moses says about tithes is wholly ignored by preachers. The first time it is mentioned in the law is in Leviticus 27 –

“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. ³¹ If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. ³² And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30-32

This says nothing of what to do with the tithe. It simply says that the tithe is holy to the Lord. The next time the tithe is mentioned is in the passage we have looked at today. As you have seen, translations of these verses are generally inaccurate, stating “the tithes” instead of “tithe,” and so on. In fact, in the KJV, of which I keep a running record of errors, I found 22 translational errors in today’s verses.

The terminology here is so specific because Moses will next clarify the tithe in the book of Deuteronomy where it is next mentioned. First, it is found in Chapter 12:5-17.

It is obvious in reading this that not all of the tithe of Israel was given to the Levites. Moses then clarifies why there is a seeming discrepancy between what we have seen here in Numbers and what it says in Deuteronomy 12. That is found in Deuteronomy 14:22-29. As you can see, those verses clarify the specificity of Numbers 18. The tithe is holy every year as stated in Leviticus 27, but it is only given to the Levites every third year. This cannot be speaking of a “second tithe.”

Obviously, if the first two years the Levite is mentioned as not being forsaken in verse 14:28, and then the tithe is to be brought out and stored as required by verse 14:29, then it can only be speaking of a single tithe each year, the third of which is to be collected by the Levites, and to be handled according to the precepts of Numbers 18.

The next time the tithe is mentioned is in Deuteronomy 26:12-15. This is it for the Law of Moses. Everything else in the Old Testament which mentions tithing is in relation to the law, given by Moses. The only instance worthy of special note is Amos 4:4 where it confirms Deuteronomy 14 –

“Enter ye Beth-El, and transgress, At Gilgal multiply transgression, And bring in every morning your sacrifices, Every third year your tithes.”

This particular verse can be translated as “every third year,” or “every third day.” Most translations incorrectly say “day.” As Amos is citing the law of Moses, it is to be rendered “year.”

As has now been presented, the Bible clearly shows that the tithe of Israel was every year, but a tithe was brought forward to the Levites only every third year alone. Despite this, it is almost never mentioned by anyone. Instead, preachers shame their congregation into giving – and that… from an Old Covenant principle which doesn’t even apply anymore. But the really despicable thing is that there are preachers who actually say that the words about the third year is an extra tithe on top of a regular tithe. This is a flat out lie. It is a perfect example of preaching greed over grace.

Imagine the nerve of standing in the pulpit and saying this, knowing that not a person in the church would question his authority or even bother to go check. And you wonder why I tell you week after week to check things for yourself!

The real question to ask a preacher that insists on tithing would be, “If we are to tithe as you say the Bible says, then why aren’t you telling us to do it the way the Bible shows, meaning once every third year?” Watch him have a heart attack over that one! Either that, or he might say, as I’ve heard said, “With the tithing verses, plus all the other required sacrifices, almost thirty percent of what an Israelite made would have been required.”

Again, this is simply not true. That’s why we noted those verses too. Many of the required sacrifices, as we saw, were eaten by the one who brought them after the removal of the sacred portion by the priests. These arguments have no basis in the truth.

The tithing verses clearly show that the third year tithe alone was given away in its entirety and the other two years’ tithes were enjoyed by the giver in the presence of the Lord with some being given to take care of the Levites.

In reality though, none of this matters from a New Covenant perspective. We are not under the Law of Moses. In fact, the New Covenant says often and explicitly that the law is set aside in Christ; it is obsolete, it is done, it is finished…

We cannot insert the Old Covenant law into New Covenant theology without inserting heresy. It is that simple. We are, as the Bible reveals, living in the dispensation of grace. Here are some verses to support this –

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Romans 5:20

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21

“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14, 15

“For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18, 19

“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 8:13

We could on and on, but the Bible is clear – in Jesus, the law is set aside. If we attempt to be justified by that law, meaning living by deeds of the law, to be justified before God, then we have fallen from the very grace that was bestowed on us in Christ.

Just as it should be, we are to hold to salvation by the grace of Jesus and His mercy through faith, not deeds of the law. This is what brings us salvation. And this is what decent preachers around the world, and throughout the church age, will tell you again and again… week after week.

And yet, when it comes to tithing, all of this grace is thrown to the wind and the law almost inevitably gets reintroduced. One of the most common Bible quotes that you will hear on the subject of tithes is from Malachi 3:8 –

“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.” Malachi 3:8

After hearing this, you then receive a boring, hour long, sermon on how you (you terrible Christian you) are stealing from God if you don’t give ten percent just as the Bible says. And be sure to make it pre-tax because, of course, taxes don’t count. You are made to feel guilty about it and shamed if you don’t follow through with what they tell you. Never mind that Malachi was written when? Yes, under the law.

Having said this, tithing is not – in any way – a New Covenant principle. It was a practice mandated under the law which was given to the people of Israel, and to them alone. It is, like the rest of the law, set aside in Christ.

And so, having shown you what the law states and that it doesn’t even apply anymore, what are we to do about giving? Is there a rule or a guide for us in the New Covenant? The answer is, “Yes.” There are two actually. The first is found in 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 –

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: ² On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”

There you have the first of only two real directives given to any saint in the New Covenant – lay something aside weekly, storing up as you may prosper. But, even this is Paul speaking to those churches for a particular purpose and need that they had talked about and agreed upon. These words are not really prescriptive at all. However, if we apply them as such, we should ask, “What does ‘prosper’ mean?” It doesn’t say. It is different for each individual. Have you been freed from an addiction like gambling, alcohol, or smoking?

The money you used to spend on that could be given away. Aren’t you prospering because of the change? If you didn’t need it for something else then, why do you need it now? Or, if you can give ten percent, then the Lord has prospered you to give ten percent. If you can’t pay your own bills, should you be pressured into paying the bills for someone else? Is that what the Lord calls “prospering?” Well, maybe for the preacher, but not for you.

The second time, Paul mentions giving is in Galatians 6:6 –

“Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.” Galatians 6:6

That is a precept, and it is prescriptive, meaning he expects it to be done. But does he say a percent? Does he say a form of currency? Does he say anything about wages from your employment? No. He says to share in all good things with him who teaches.

What is a good thing to you? Are you blessed about having seen the sunrise? Isn’t sharing that a good thing? Do you know how to make really good cookies? Isn’t sharing that with your teacher a good thing? If you have a decent pay check, isn’t sharing that a good thing? If your pastor loves durian, won’t you share yours with him? Paul wasn’t specific. He just said to “share in all good things with him who teaches.” And don’t forget the cookies.

In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul tells us about the spirit of giving and the reaping which results from it –

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6, 7

We don’t want to misapply theses verses. One cannot expect that he will always put in and get more out. And so in this, we can see that there is more than just a material reaping at the harvest. There is also the satisfaction which accompanies the reaping.

Blessings are what come to us in that which we find satisfaction. A person may simply be blessed by working in the cool breeze under the blue sky. But unless one goes out to reap, this part of the blessing will be missed. However, the general principle here is a return on an investment by an increase of the same thing which was invested. Proverbs 11 follows this same broad thought –

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
²⁵ The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.” Proverbs 11:24, 25

Without taking it to an unintended extreme, this is a general principle of increase. If a preacher promises that you will reap a hundred-fold if you send him $100.00, don’t waste your time. God is not a cosmic ATM. He tends to our needs, and He rewards each of us according to His wisdom, not our greed.

Further, it needs to be remembered that “sowing bountifully” is something that can only be determined by the individual in relation to what he already possesses. If a millionaire sows $500.00, it really isn’t that much. In fact, it would be nothing compared to a cash-strapped blue collar worker who gave the same amount. Just because it is the same amount, the proportion is one which cannot truly be compared.

Paul has said that each should give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. If this is so, then being told that you must tithe is a violation of Paul’s words, and thus a violation of Scripture.

In preaching tithing, the preacher violates, not upholds, Scripture. He has purposed, not the giver. The giver must give – happily or grudgingly, and not of will but of necessity. And if of necessity, then it is not done cheerfully. Only a voluntary gift is a truly cheerful gift.

I would implore you to be knowledgeable in the Old Testament so that you will not be misguided by what someone says it says. I would challenge you to be firm in your convictions about what you will decide to do with your money in regards to the church, but I would beg you to only follow through with those firm convictions if you are able to do so, and to be able to do so cheerfully.

When I let you down, as I am certainly bound to do someday, you will then be able to say, “I gave willingly when I could and what I could, and what has happened now will not affect my attitude about what I gave in the past.” In the end, your gifts are a reflection of who you are before the Lord. If you are giving for any other purpose than voluntarily and cheerfully, you have given for the wrong reason.

Closing Verse: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:21

Next Week: Numbers 19:1-10 The only word that rhymes with it is the word “zephyr”… (The Red Heifer) (36^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Levitical Priesthood

Then the Lord said to Aaron:
“You shall have no inheritance in their land, as to you I tell
Nor shall you have any portion among them
I am your portion and your inheritance
———-among the children of Israel

Behold, I have given the children of Levi
All the tithes in Israel as an inheritance; no need for repeating
In return for the work which they perform
The work of the tabernacle of meeting

Hereafter the children of Israel, by and by
Shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting
———-Lest they bear sin and die

But the Levites shall perform the work
Of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity
It shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations
That among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance
———-thus shall it be

For the tithes of the children of Israel
Which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord
I have given to the Levites as an inheritance
According to My word

Therefore I have said to them; to them, I did tell
They shall have no inheritance among the children of Israel

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
“Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them:
———-(Maybe they will do a happy dance)
‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes
Which I have given you from them as your inheritance

Then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord
A tenth of the tithe, according to My word

And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you
As though it were the grain of the threshing floor
And as the fullness of the winepress
Lots of grain and wine, and plenty more 

Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord
From all your tithes which you receive; the greatest to the least
From the children of Israel
And you shall give the Lord’s heave offering
———-from it to Aaron the priest 

Of all your gifts you shall offer up
Every heave offering due to the Lord
From all the best of them, the consecrated part of them
According to this word

Therefore you shall say to them:
‘When you have lifted up the best of it; so I do address
Then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites
As the produce of the threshing floor
———-and as the produce of the winepress 

You may eat it in any place
You and your households; is there any need for repeating?
For it is your reward for your work
In the tabernacle of meeting 

And you shall bear no sin because of it
When you have lifted up the best of it
But you shall not profane the holy gifts
Of the children of Israel, lest you die as to you I now submit

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 17:1-13
Life From Death

There are certain things in Scripture which are taken as an axiom. One of them is creation. In Hebrews 11, the author actually speaks about creation, and he takes the whole sh’bang of the Genesis account at face value. Things seen were not created from things visible. One could argue that to a point, but the word “visible” truly encompasses all matter, even if we can’t see it with our naked eyes. If it is matter, it is – at some point – visible.

He speaks about Cain and Abel as if the story about them is really true. And the fact that there is a Cain and an Abel, by default, means they came from someone else, meaning an Adam and an Eve. He speaks about Enoch being translated and not seeing death, and he says it as if there is no question of the reliability of that.

The story of Noah and the flood… yep, like Jesus, he accepted the narrative as written. I could go on, but you get the point. Jesus repeatedly spoke about the absolute truth of Scripture, even arguing with Israel’s leader about single words which had the most significant of importance to theology.

And those who authored the New Testament write about the Old with the same absolute assurance that the stories there are true and reliable, even down to some of the most incredible stories of all…

Text Verse: Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. ² For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; ³ and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, ⁴ which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵ and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Hebrews 9:1-5

In just those five verses, the author indicates that the sanctuary written about by Moses was real. If one part of that detail is true, then the rest surely must be as well, and he later speaks quite a bit more about it. He also says that those things on earth were copies and shadows of the things in heaven, meaning there really is a heaven, and what that is like is represented by those earthly things.

And then he goes on to say that those earthly things actually prefigure Christ. Thus the heavenly man is the anticipation of the earthly pictures. The author then speaks about the golden pot with the manna in it, confirming the account of manna in the wilderness. Yes, it really happened. Even Jesus spoke of that in John 6.

And more, he also writes in these verses about Aaron’s rod that budded. Well, isn’t that the cat’s meow. A lifeless rod of wood actually comes to life. And it doesn’t happen by being grafted into a living branch. And more, it doesn’t just come to life, but it literally flourishes overnight. Is this story to be believed? Well, the author of Hebrews seemed to believe it.

As you read Scripture, it is time to ask yourself, “What do you believe?” Is God making up stories which are allegorical, or does He expect us to accept His word as true? The author of Hebrews, probably the apostle Paul, certainly believed these stories were not only true, but that they are the very words of God and thus wholly reliable.

Whether you can stomach it or not, I believe in a literal creation that literally came about in six days. I believe Enoch got translated to heaven without dying (as did Elijah the prophet), I believe that the Flood of Noah swept away all life on the earth except eight people, I believe that Aaron’s rod budded, and I believe – without any doubt at all – that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and was raised to life by the power of God. And, I believe He did it even for me. Such wonderful and truthful stories are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Rods Before the Lord (verses 1-7)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

The chapter starts with the standard address, most often used to begin a new thought. The context should be remembered, however. The previous chapter involved the incident with Korah in his rebellion and attempt to usurp the priesthood. That was dealt with magnificently by the Lord as He swallowed up the tents of some of the offenders, and as He sent out His fire to burn up others.

After that, the people of the congregation came forward and accused Moses and Aaron of having “killed the people of the Lord.” That began a plague which then needed Aaron’s intercession in order to stop it. And it was stopped completely. Where death prevailed, the mediator’s intercession arrested it. What a picture of Christ’s perfect intercession for His people.

With those details recalled, the Lord has words to convey which will demonstrate that what occurred was from Him, and that Aaron is, in fact, chosen to mediate between the Lord and the people…

² “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house,

What appears simple to follow brings in numerous questions. First, a matteh, or rod, is used as the symbol of a household. This was seen, for example, in Genesis 38 where the authority of Judah’s house was assumed by Tamar. This was taken in pledge and included his signet, cord, and staff (rod).

Thus, when the term matteh is used, it speaks of a literal rod, but it is also a metonym. It speaks of the tribe itself just as “Hollywood” means a place, but it also stands for the movie industry. But the rod also is used figuratively as a support of life, such as bread.

Here, the children of Israel are to provide a rod from “each father’s house.” The “house” then would be the main tribe, such as Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and so on. One would assume that this is the staff of an individual who is to represent his clan, but it is argued by some that it isn’t an old staff, but rather all are freshly cut staffs from the same tree and then designated to represent the house. The Hebrew is not specific, but I have always assumed it to be an old rod, already designated. However, being dogmatic is simply to bark into the wind. Another complication lies in the next words…

^2 (con’t) all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods.

The “leaders according to their father’s houses” are probably the individuals named in Chapter 1. The term is nasiy, or prince, and it was also used of the twelve spies who went to search out Canaan, and so the term can mean any type of leader, but these are probably those most distinguished during the census. But, it then says, “twelve rods.”

This brings in the question as to whether this is inclusive of Aaron’s rod, as noted in verse 3, and that Ephraim and Manasseh are joined together in one rod. Or, are there twelve rods presented along with Aaron’s thirteenth? At times, the two tribes under Joseph are listed as one people, such as in Deuteronomy 27:12. Again, being dogmatic would be a “ruff” position to cling to.

I would personally go with twelve plus one. This would eliminate any doubt that could later arise that one sub-tribe was purposely left out when it should not have been. Jacob specifically adopted these two, and his name was upon them. Deuteronomy 27 is a completely different situation which does not call for the same precision and care as this.

^2 (con’t) Write each man’s name on his rod.

The word is kathav, and it indicates to write, but that writing can be with a pen on the surface, or with a knife as an engraving. The Lord is said to have written out the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone with His finger. Whatever way the inscription is made, it would be in a way which could not later be erased or leave any doubt about the authenticity of the particular rod. The name of the man, in this case, is representative of the tribe…

³ And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi.

al matteh levi – “on rod Levi.” As you can see, there is the difficulty of whether this is one of twelve, or if it is in addition to the twelve. No matter what, Aaron is designated by the Lord as the head of the tribe of Levi. He is Moses’ older brother, and the family of Kohath has been designated as the main tribe, apart from birth order, in order to represent Levi. It then will set aside any future dispute in regards to all of Levi’s positions within the tribe.

In writing Aaron’s name, it is specifying that within Levi there is a separating of the classes of those who descend from him – priestly Levites and non-priestly Levites. The specificity here is similar to that of Ezekiel 37 –

“As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ ¹⁷ Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.” Ezekiel 37:16, 17

Here in Numbers, there are not to be three staffs of the subgroups of Levi, nor merely one staff for all of Levi without distinction, but rather one staff for Levi, and Aaron represents the entire tribe. It is an act of grace, then, to have been bestowed this distinction. As Aaron was from Kohath, the second son of Levi, the choice of his placement was of the Lord, and not of natural descent.

As the claim had been made that the entire congregation was holy, the Lord determined to show who was, in fact, holy for the priesthood. The burning of the two hundred and fifty offenders still left a doubt in the people’s minds, and so the Lord is preparing to settle this matter once and forever.

^3 (con’t) For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house.

This statement is given to confirm that Aaron’s staff stood representative of the entire house of Levi, along with the single staff of the rods of the other heads of the father’s house, meaning the main tribes.

⁴ Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before the Testimony, where I meet with you.

Although a simple verse to understand, the words here actually give us insights into another question that has arisen elsewhere. That is whether Moses actually went into the Most Holy Place, or not. Here he is told to place them into the tent of meeting, but more specifically, he is told to put them “before the Testimony.” That is the Ark of the Covenant into which the Tablets of the Testimony were placed. That means, in the Most Holy Place.

And so we can see that the restriction of entering this place, only once a year and only with blood, did not apply to Moses. He was given access to the Lord anytime. This is then confirmed with the words, “where I meet with you.”

Moses went in to seek the Lord’s counsel at his own will, and also at the call of the Lord. As the Lord says this is where He met with Moses, we don’t need to speculate if it is outside of the veil or not. Moses was granted a special dispensation to come before the Lord, unlike any other, including Israel’s high priest.

⁵ And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom;

Here the word is parakh. It speaks of the blossoming of a flower, the breaking forth or spreading of leprosy, and so on. It gives the sense of flourishing, and is often translated in that manner, such as when a righteous man flourishes. What is promised is a miracle of no small significance.

Whether the rod was cut and used for many years, or whether it was freshly cut to stand with a dozen other freshly cut rods, the impossibility of what will occur, other than by divine intervention, is certain. It is to be a miracle in its truest sense, and like all other miracles, it is to serve a purpose beyond the event itself…

^5 (con’t) thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, 

Here is a word not seen since the time of the Flood of Noah, shakak. It means to abate, just as the waters of the flood abated when God made the wind to pass over the earth. It comes from a root meaning to weave a trap, laying it up secretively. Thus, through that, the Lord is saying He will cause the complaints of the people to abate in such a way that they will never rise again, just as the waters of the flood were promised to never rise in that manner again. The complaints of the people will be secreted away…

^5 (con’t) which they make against you.”

The word “you” is plural. The Lord has said that He would get the complaints of the children of Israel from off of Him, but they are complaints which were directed to both Moses and Aaron. That was seen in the last section of the previous chapter –

“On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” Numbers 16:41

This then reveals the purpose of what is directed. The authority of Moses and the word he transmits to the people, and which included Aaron’s priestly authority, was to be forever solidified through this act. And these two things were certain even almost fifteen hundred years later. The authority of both of them was regarded as absolute at the time of Christ. For Moses, it is seen in words such as –

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’|
³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
⁴ And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Matthew 8:1-4

And for Aaron, it is seen in the following words –

“‘“Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” ² And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
⁴ And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”
⁵ Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”’” Acts 23:1-5

Despite seemingly contradictory, though the Law of Moses was often forgotten or disobeyed, the authority of the law and of its designated appointees was not forgotten. This is actually not uncommon though. We have laws which are forgotten or simply broken in our nation, but the authority of the law itself, and the authority of those who sit in positions of authority within the law, are still recognized as such. Here, the Lord is settling the matter of this authority henceforward, just as the civil war of the US settled it for those who thought to break themselves apart from it.

⁶ So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece,

Again, the account isn’t specific if these were tribal rods which had been maintained by the people, or if they were freshly cut rods then designated for each tribe by affixing the name of the leader. Either way though, each would be distinct enough to recognize by one and by all. There would be no way that Moses could manufacture a false miracle in this matter. Each rod was…

^6 (con’t) for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods;

The words follow closely with those of verse two. They show an obedience to what was directed, but again, it is not known if there are eleven now, plus one, or if there are twelve rods which will then be added to by Aaron to make thirteen. The Latin Vulgate specifically said twelve plus one, but that is not made perfectly evident in the Hebrew, and it is not confirmed or denied in the next words either…

^6 (con’t) and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

If this had simply said, “And the rod of Aaron,” it would indicate thirteen, but it says, “And the rod of Aaron was among their rods.” The word is betok, and it signifies, “in the midst of.” Twelve or thirteen. And so, if we get dogmatic, we might get bit later.

⁷ And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

The words follow closely after verse 4, and they show that what was directed was also followed through with. The NKJV, following after the KJV, incorrectly translates this and the next verse by calling it the tabernacle of witness. Rather, it is the tent of the Testimony. It is the same word, eduth, used in verses 4 and 10 which are translated as “Testimony.” In a lack of consistent translation, it is extremely hard to follow the narrative properly.

The reason for calling it the tent of the Testimony, instead of the more common tent of meeting, is because it is the Testimony which establishes both the Law of Moses and the Aaronic priesthood, which are on trial here. Moses is not conducting meetings with Lord at this time. Rather, the Lord is making a defense for the law which Israel agreed to, and for the authority of those as revealed in that law. The specificity of wording clues us in to what is on the mind of the Lord, and how He is dealing with affairs which arise.

Life from death, how can it be?
Nothing such as this has been seen before
And yet our eyes haven’t failed; we really did see
It is as if heaven has opened a brand new Door

What does it mean, that life has come from death?
And that One who was dead is now seen alive again?
Into His crucified body, has returned life’s breath
What does this mean for the sons of men?

O God, we know that what we have seen is certainly true
And in Christ, death’s door has been swung open wide
In the giving of Jesus Your Son, great things You did do
And because of Him, we shall with You eternally abide!

II. A Sign Against the Rebels (verses 8-13)

⁸ Now it came to pass on the next day

These were matteh, or rods, used as tribal insignia. Regardless as to their age, they would be single rods, stripped bare and without root or branch on them. And yet, the words here say, v’hi mimakhorat, “and it came to pass on the next day.” It only means this, and it cannot mean anything except the day following that mentioned in the preceding verse. And so what will now be described is truly miraculous…

^8 (con’t) that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness,

As with the preceding verse, the Hebrew says, “tent of the Testimony.” It is the Testimony which is being highlighted in this passage, being mentioned four times in just 13 verses. After this, the term will be used once in the next Chapter in regards to the duties of the Levites in relation to Aaron, and then not again until the book of Joshua.

^8 (con’t) and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted

Out of death has come life. As noted earlier, the matteh, or rod is at times used figuratively as indicating a support of life such as bread. Here the rod of Aaron is emblematic of Christ from whom life comes because of His death. Aaron’s priesthood is confirmed through the life which came from that which was dead.

Likewise, Christ’s priesthood came about when He proved His right to the position of High Priest through the fulfillment of the Law and the introduction of the New Covenant in His shed blood. From His death, life springs forth. It is His priestly duties, and His alone, that provides life to man.

The implication of the words that Levi’s rod had sprouted is that this is a unique occurrence not seen in the other rods. Only through the rod of Aaron, which looks forward to Christ, can life come. All other rods remained as dead as when they were severed from the tree. As far as the sprouting, it is the same word, parakh, that the Lord said would occur in verse 5. The rod had gone from a clean staff of wood, to that which had broken forth and flourished. But there is more…

^8 (con’t) and put forth buds,

v’yotse perakh, “and brought out buds.” This definitively shows that there is a Force behind the event. One might dismiss a rod sprouting, as if there was enough life in it to put out a sprout, but nothing further could be expected. This rod had sprouted and put forth buds…

^8 (con’t) had produced blossoms

v’yatsets tsiyts – “and had blossomed blossoms.” One can feel the excitement in the words, as if the marvel is more than words can adequately express, but which must be mentally visualized by the reader. But there is yet more…

^8 (con’t) and yielded ripe almonds.

v’yigmol sheqedim – the word gamal comes from a root signifying to treat another person well or ill. It is used to describe the weaning of a child, or a just reward, such as when the psalmist says, “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness.” It is an end result based on events which led to it.

Thus, when an almond tree has fruit, it is a reward of the time of production necessary for the fruit to come forth. If an almond tree could speak, it might say, “The fruit are the reward of my time and labors.” There is the sense, then, of the Lord dealing bountifully with the rod of Aaron in putting forth shaqed, or almonds.

That word comes from shaqad, meaning to watch over, or be on the lookout. The reason the almond is so named is because of its unusually long cycle from bud to fruit which encompasses the entire harvest season in Israel.

The bud develops from November to February. The blossom period goes from February to March – the earliest of all the trees. From March to June the almond transforms from blossom to hull. The harvest season then goes from August to October. At that time, the cycle begins again. Thus, the almond watches over the entire year, from beginning to end.

And yet, the miracle of the rod of Aaron is that the entire cycle was accomplished in a single night. It signifies that the Lord was watching over the rod of Aaron, and thus over the Aaronic priesthood. And in turn, it is a witness to Aaron that his priesthood was to be in constant watch over their duties, day unto day, and throughout the year.

In Ecclesiastes, the blossoming of the almond tree is said to reflect the aged condition of man. The almond blossoms are white just as an aged person’s hair is white. Following on with that, white hair is reflective of honor in Leviticus 19. And in the book of Jeremiah, we read Scripture’s last use of the almond –

“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’
‘I see the branch of an almond tree,’ I replied.
¹² The Lord said to me, ‘You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.’” Jeremiah 1:11, 12 (NIV)

The miracle here is similar to that of the making of wine from water by Jesus. An entire process was brought from conception to full maturity in an instant, as if creation itself had taken place. To deny the Genesis creation account is no less egregious of an error than it is to deny the giving forth of fruit by the rod of Aaron, or bringing forth wine from the water jars of Cana by the same Lord. But the symbolism, for now, is revealed in Christ. Not only did He come forth from death, but He is the One who initiates, and who sees through until its completion, the entire span of the covenant which He has introduced. The Lord began the covenant of Moses, which included the priesthood of Aaron, and He saw it through to its bearing of fruit on the cross of Calvary, thus ending that covenant.

He further then introduced the New Covenant, and He will see it through until its end. However, as His covenant is said to be eternal, then there is no end to be anticipated. His priesthood is eternal, and His people have the promise of an eternal walk before God with Him watching over them during the entire, endless expanse of time.

This is actually spoken of by David in the 110^th Psalm where he first uses the term, matteh, or rod, of Lord’s strength out of Zion. He then says that this will lead to the priesthood of Christ being on the order of Melchizedek which is then explained by the author of Hebrews as being an eternal priesthood. Here are David’s words –

“‘“The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
² The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. (matteh)
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
³ Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
⁴ The Lord has sworn
And will not relent,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”’” Psalm 110:1-4

David, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, spoke forth words which looked back to Melchizedek, which are sprinkled with hints of Christ’s priesthood from here in Numbers, and which then look forward to that eternal position described in Hebrews and which will be realized forever and ever.

Adam Clarke poetically looks to the budding, blossoming, and fruit-bearing of the rod as representing a believer’s life in Christ now –

“The buds of good desires, the blossoms of holy resolutions and promising professions, and the ripe fruit of faith, love, and obedience, all spring from the priesthood of the Lord Jesus.” Adam Clarke

And this is true. Because of Christ’s ministry, our lives in Christ are made possible.

⁹ Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel;

The same word, v’yotse, or “and brought out” from the previous verse is used again. The Lord, through the rod, brought out buds which produced blossoms and almonds. Moses has now brought out the rods from before the Lord, after His miraculous work, and revealed what He did to all the people. The Lord accomplishes the miracle, and Moses reveals the miracle to the people.

It is reflective of Christ the Man who, through the power of the Lord, revealed the work of the Lord to the people of Israel. He filled both roles, being the God/Man; the Lord incarnate.

^9 (con’t) and they looked, and each man took his rod.

“And they” is referring to “all the children of Israel.” Whoever was present, be it only the leaders as representatives, or anyone who desired to see, the proof of the miracle was made manifest to Israel.

Nobody could doubt that an amazingly marvelous miracle had been revealed, and nobody could doubt its significance. The Lord was watching from moment to moment over the position of Moses and Aaron, and in regards to the authority they possessed.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony,

The rod of Aaron is not mentioned again in the Old Testament. What happened to it is unknown except as is mentioned in extra-biblical writings. However, it is mentioned in Hebrews 9:4 where the author states that the rod, along with the gold pot with manna, and the tablets of the covenant, were all kept in the Ark.

In this, we have several pictures of Christ in one. He is the Giver of the Law, seen in the Tablets of the Testimony. He is the Embodiment of the law, seen in the Ark. He is the Manna, which was said to be rested in the Ark. When we come to Christ we are thus rested in Christ and our status before God changes –

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

And in the rod of Aaron, Christ is the One who watches over and accomplishes the entire process of priestly duties for His people, from the beginning to its completion.

We can only speculate on what happened to the rod. As Hebrews tells us it was placed within the Ark, and as 1 Kings 8:9 says that there was nothing in the Ark except the two tablets at the time of Solomon, then this rod and the jar of manna may have been removed and lost when the Ark was captured by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 5. But that is only speculation. To be dogmatic would be to pointlessly wag one’s tail. What matters in Scripture is the account at hand. For the time being, it was to be brought back before the Testimony, specifically…

^{10 (con’t)} to be kept as a sign against the rebels, 

la’mishmereth l’oth livne meri – “for a charge, for a sign to the sons of rebellion.” A charge is something to be maintained as a guard watching over his patrol. An oth, or a sign, is something that stands as representative of something else. Thus, the rod of Aaron was to be kept as a guard and to be brought forth as a sign against the sons of meri, or rebellion, if needed.

That is a new word, coming from marah, meaning contentious or rebellious. Should they come forth in this manner again, the rod could be brought forth as a sign of the Lord’s approval of Moses and Aaron and against the rebellious faction. No record of that being needed is ever recorded. Further, this is hinted at next…

^{10 (con’t)} that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.”

The word tlunah, or grumbling, was introduced at the time of the giving of the manna in Exodus 16 when the people grumbled about their hunger. It was seen six times in that chapter, once in Numbers 14 when the people complained about not entering Canaan after the bad report of the spies, and it was used twice in today’s passage. This is its last use in Scripture.

In verse 5, the Lord said He would rid Himself of the complaints of the people which they made against Aaron and Moses. So it is. With the departure of this word, so the Lord rid Himself of what the word signifies. The Lord said this was to keep the people from dying, and at least in this manner, it came about. There are plenty of other ways to needle the Lord, and Israel, in its continued history would seek out new ways to do so. But the complaints against His established lawgiver and high priest are ended.

¹¹ Thus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

Just as Moses is later recorded as a faithful servant in all of God’s house, so he accomplished this task as directed by the Lord. The rod would remain before the Lord and before the Testimony of the Lord as a charge and a sign.

¹² So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!

khen gavaenu abadnu kulanu abadnu – “Behold! We have expired, we have perished, all of us, we have perished.” The words are quickly stated without any connecting words, and reveal utter desperation at the situation. The word translated as “perish,” is gava. It gives the sense of breathing out one’s last.

Though self-inflicted, there has been one catastrophe after another. The people continue to fail to understand that the law is written and it is binding upon them. They keep going around looking for an exit to it, as if it is something that is more of a hindrance to be cast off than a permanent and burdensome yoke which is forever tied to them. But this is exactly what the apostles called the law in Acts 15. Paul calls it a bondage of slavery in Galatians. The Pulpit Commentary rightly states –

“These are the last wailings of the great storm which had raged against Moses and Aaron, which had roared so loudly and angrily at its height, which was now sobbing itself out in the petulant despair of defeated and disheartened men, cowed indeed, but not convinced, fearful to offend, yet not loving to obey.” Pulpit Commentary

They are right in saying that they will all expire and perish. Leviticus has told them that the man who does the things of the law will live by them. They have tried to get away from the law, and they have been destroyed. They will try to live out the law in the many generations to come, and they will all die under the law. But the law also provides avenues to obtain mercy, such as the Day of Atonement. Israel is being schooled on their need for Christ, and we are being schooled through Israel to stay away from the law and head directly to Christ.

¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die.

Kol ha’qarev ha’qarev – “all the approaching, the approaching.” The words are in the typical Hebrew way of providing emphasis. They are exclaiming that without fail, coming near means death.

And here the term is mishkan Yehovah, or tabernacle of Yehovah. It has only been used once so far, in verse 16:9, when Moses spoke to Korah about his disobedience towards the Lord. Here, the people moan that “whoever” comes near it must die. This is untrue in one sense. It is only if a person approached the Lord’s tabernacle who was not a priest, who was to die.

However, it is true in another sense. Because the tabernacle of the Lord extends to cover all the people of Israel due to their nearness to Him in covenant relationship, if they were defiled through sin, they would, in fact, die. This was true anywhere within the camp of the Lord, and that will be dealt with in Chapter 19. For now, though, their thoughts stem directly from the disobedience of Korah’s rebellion.

For any but those designated to come near the tabernacle of the Lord, it is an absolutely true statement. It is not true, though, for the priests or the Levites in the proper performance of their duties. And it is exactly those duties which will be laid out in the coming verses of Chapter 18, including the restrictions and penalties for those who come near but who are not authorized.

*^13 (fin) Shall we all utterly die?”

ha-im tamnu ligvoa. The exact meaning of these words is debated, and so one should not be overly dogmatic and snarl at others about it. But, the word tamam means to finish or to complete, and so the intent may be, “Shall we ever finish expiring?” The question is asked in relation to coming near the tabernacle of the Lord. The tabernacle of the Lord is His dwelling. It is the place of access to Him, and is thus representative of heaven.

Only certain people were allowed to come near, and only under certain conditions of purity, and at set times according to law. The people had attempted to go around Aaron and access the Lord without him, and that proved fatal.

But the people’s question now signifies a desire to still come near the tabernacle of the Lord nonetheless. It is the constant condition of man, to want to draw near to God. This is what religion is, an attempt to draw near to Him. And there are lots of religions out there, claiming that their way makes it possible.

However, God – not man – determines what access to Him will be like. It is not by our will, but by Christ. And so, to bring an answer to the question, “Shall we ever finish expiring?”, Christ came. We saw in Exodus, again in Leviticus, and so far it has continued in Numbers, that the mishkan Yehovah, or tabernacle of Yehovah, intricately and absolutely pictures Christ in every detail.

And that is why in John 1:14 it says that He came and tabernacled among us. Because the people could not draw near to the tabernacle of Yehovah, the tabernacle of Yehovah came near to them. It is His life which brings about the access that man has, in every culture and in every age desired and attempted to make possible through their own efforts and means. But the impossibility of that is found in one three letter word, sin.

Our sin has separated us from the Creator. But our Creator took care of that in the giving of His Son, who became sin, meaning our sin, so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. Imagine that! Access is restored, we have a Mediator who makes that possible, and it is granted to any who will just believe. When we opened today, I told you that I believed the words of the Bible. That is because in it is found the cure to our defect. In it is found JESUS.

Closing Verse: “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18, 19

Next Week: Numbers 18:1-19 The Lord willing, we will continue the chapter until it is done. But next week is… (The Levitical Priesthood, Part I) (34^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Life From Death

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
These are the words He was to him then relaying

“Speak to the children of Israel
And get from them from each father’s house a rod
All their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods
Write each man’s name on his rod, even if his name is Todd 

And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi
For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house by and by

Then you shall place them
In the tabernacle of meeting, so you shall do
Before the Testimony
Where I meet with you 

And it shall be that the rod of the man
Whom I choose will blossom, so it shall do
Thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel
Which they make against you

So Moses spoke to the children of Israel
And each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece as told to do
For each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods
And the rod of Aaron was among their rods too 

And Moses placed the rods before the Lord
In the tabernacle of witness, according to His word

Now it came to pass on the next day
That Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, so he did do
And behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi
Had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms
———-and yielded ripe almonds too 

Then Moses brought out all the rods
From before the Lord, after he had a look
To all the children of Israel
And they looked, and each man his rod took

And the Lord said to Moses
“Bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, and here is why
To be kept as a sign against the rebels
That you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die 

Thus did Moses; just as had commanded him the Lord
So he did according to His word

So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying
“Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!”, was their cry
Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die
Shall we all utterly die?”

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 16:36-50
The Mediator Between God and Men

Israel was chosen from among the nations to be God’s own special people and to receive His favor. All other nations went their own way, and they lived and died apart from God. Only Israel was set apart to bring in Messiah, and until He came, only they received the atonement necessary to cover their sins in a temporary manner.

It has already been demonstrated that there was to be but one high priest, and until his death prevented him from continuing on, it was his responsibility to mediate between God and man, and to intercede on behalf of his people.

That was challenged by Korah, and the challenge failed. And it wasn’t by human effort that it failed. It was because the Lord personally acted and destroyed him and his followers. It set the example for Israel, and Israel sets the typology for Christ to come.

Because God rejected any but Aaron, or his replacement from his line, then it is a message that the Lord was sending to us – “I will accept mediation for your sins, but I will only do so through one Person, My designated High Priest.” That is then explicitly repeated in the New Testament. First by Jesus Himself in John 14:6, and then by Paul in 1 Timothy 2, our text verse of the day…

Text Verse: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:5, 6

When Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” He was indicating exactly this. That means in this life and for all eternity. He is our access point to the unseen Father. At this time, it is for reconciliation to Him, and for our continued need for mediation from Him. In the future, He will be the One through whom the glory of God will radiate for all eternity. He is our One and only access point in this regard. When Paul says that Christ is our one Mediator, he calls Him “the Man Christ Jesus.” It is His humanity which makes this possible. And Paul goes on. He says that He gave Himself a ransom for all.” If you pay heed to the coming sermon, you will see that repeated in picture, right from our verses today.

In fact, you will see the Person of Christ revealed in almost a dozen different ways today. But each one of them keeps demonstrating the simple truth that He is the One and only way to be restored to a propitious relationship with God. The theme repeats again and again, as it has throughout the books of Moses so far, and as will continue to be seen right through until the final page of Scripture.

So, if you are asking yourself today if it’s OK for you to go to a palm reader, a psychic, a Hindu priest, a Buddhist shaman, or an Islamic Imam, you should understand that God, the God of the Bible, has rejected these things. This world, filled with such spirituality, is a world that is at enmity with God. He has entered into His creation, and it is through this Man alone that we find restoration with God.

Be careful who you believe, even in supposed Christian churches. There is a straight path, and there are many which quickly wind off to destruction. This is the warning we should pay heed to. It is this lesson which is found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. A Sign to Israel (verses 36-40)

It was in the final verses of our passage last week that the ground swallowed up the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with all those who dwelt there. After that, fire came out from the Lord at the sanctuary and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense there. The rebellion which had arisen against the Lord was ended by Him in the destruction of the offenders. With that accomplished, the narrative continues on with the results of that event. The fire from the Lord has gone out in judgment, but judgment also results in purification. As this is so, something more is required before the matter is settled. Thus…

³⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

The Lord now speaks to Moses directly. We can assume that it is from the pillar of cloud which had just sent out the fire against the rebels. Aaron and Moses had been present at the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, but they have now returned to the area of the sanctuary and have seen the destruction wrought by the Lord. A cleanup of the bodies and articles is needed to cleanse the camp, but the Lord has specific directions for some of what laid scattered upon the ground. Those instructions are next given…

³⁷ “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers

Whatever was left of the bodies of the men, if anything, nothing is said concerning their disposal. The matter is left unstated because it is irrelevant to the purposes of the Lord. The bodies would be unclean, and Eleazar could not touch them. Almost all commentators say that Aaron was not selected for this purpose because he might have become defiled by the corpses, and so Eleazar was chosen.

That makes no sense. Eleazar is also a priest, and he would also become defiled. If any bodies laid there, which remains unstated, then he would just not be the one to assist in the disposal. Picking up censers was simply not a task which the high priest would be expected to accomplish. However, being a priest, it was incumbent on his son Eleazar “to pick up the censers” because they were holy.

^{37 (con’t)} out of the blaze,

mi-ben ha’serephah – out of the burning. It is the same word used to describe the burning of the Lord which came upon Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s two eldest. This doesn’t mean that the burning was still hot, it is merely a description of what had occurred. There was a burning, and the censers were to be picked up out of it…

^{37 (con’t)} for they are holy,

Out of the midst of whatever was left that was unclean, there was something that had been purified and even made holy. Although under different circumstances, the idea of what occurs in Numbers 31 partially explains why this is so –

“Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.” Numbers 31:22, 23

Fire itself has a cleansing effect on metals. How much more when it is the fire of the Lord’s judgment. And this then translates into what is said in the New Testament concerning purification –

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-15

The fire of the Lord is one of judgment, but in judgment, there is also purification for those things which can withstand the judgment. All that which is defiled will be burned up, but that which endures will be purified and made holy.

^{37 (con’t)} and scatter the fire some distance away.

As noted in the previous sermon, the coals and incense were not that which was approved by the Lord for use in the sanctuary. The men brought fire which was not first sanctified through the Lord, and they added incense which was not approved for service of the Lord. Thus, these things failed to anticipate Christ in their makeup, and were unacceptable to be offered to the Lord.

Because of this, they were to be taken from the sanctuary and scattered out at a suitable distance to indicate the rejection of the offerings of these wicked men who had not been consecrated to serve before the Lord, and yet who arrogantly assumed that they could do so.

They failed to see that everything associated with the tabernacle, even to the finest detail, wasn’t simply for show, but it was given to prefigure the coming Messiah – His redemptive work, and our position in Him – because of what He has done.

Unfortunately, the world at large, the Jews to this day, and a large swath of what is considered Christendom continues to fail to see this. Holiness does not come through dopish hats, solemn rituals, repetitive prayers, or showy offerings.

Instead, holiness comes through Christ Jesus, and it is only reflected in His people when they conform to His standards as given in this dispensation, known as grace. Being under grace does not negate the need to be holy. In fact, it highlights it, as Paul makes clear in 2 Corinthians –

“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

‘I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.’
¹⁷ Therefore
‘Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.’
¹⁸ ‘I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.’” 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

As we have already seen, those things which we do that are unholy will be burnt, and we will suffer loss. Our position in Christ demands holiness no less than it was demanded under law. In fact, it demands it even more so.

³⁸ The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls,

The Lord is as a Husband to Israel, but He is also as a King to them. Thus, the proverb is fitting to what occurred here –

“The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.” Proverbs 20:2

This is what happened to these men. They had sinned against their own souls, and thus they died before the Lord. One cannot help but see the comparison here with these men, to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira which is recorded in Acts. They had sinned against their souls by lying to the Holy Spirit, and they both died before the Lord. The judgment upon these men, and the judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira both served a purpose though. In the case of these men’s censers, the Lord gives specific instructions…

^{38 (con’t)} let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar.

Rather than an adjective and two nouns, the Hebrew has three nouns to describe what is made. The first is a unique word in Scripture, riqua, or “an expansion.” It comes from the verb raqa which means to beat out, or to spread out. And that, in turn, comes from a primitive root signifying to pound the earth, as if a sign of passion. One can think of a person laying with his face to the ground in misery at the death of a brother, pounding the ground and wailing.

The second noun is pakhim, or plates. That comes from the verb pakhah, meaning “to ensnare.” The third is the tsippui, or covering. It is a lot of detail to make a single point. And so, the Lord must be asking us to consider the picture being made here. One can almost taste the idea in how each of us treats our own state before the Lord.

We are sanctified as holy, but do we mourn over the things we do which the Lord finds unacceptable and in which we are ensnared? Sin is like a trap set for us, and when we allow it to catch us, it is what defines us. It is like a covering which is then viewable to all.

We will be presented before the Lord, but only so much as endures the fire of judgment will be brought forth. Are we beating the ground in passion over our misdeeds, honestly endeavoring to correct them? Or are we continuing to carry with us those things which the Lord finds impure and defiled?

Only that which is purified and which remains will be put on display. For the one whose life was defined more by sin than by holiness, there will not be much left after the judgment. This is the picture we are being given, and thus, the censers of these men were to be so on display as a covering for the altar…

^{38 (con’t)} Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; 

This is all that is left of these men’s time before the Lord. Nothing is said of bodies remaining, even if they did. The only thing left of them is a bit of brass which they had carried with them. It is this, and nothing else, which others will see in order to be reminded of them. And that, only because the fire of the Lord had purified it. The connection to our lives in Christ is… rather astonishing. These men’s censers were not acceptable as censers, and so they were re-formed according to the word of the Lord for a set purpose…

^{38 (con’t)} and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”

The word is oth, a sign. A sign stands representative of something else. This doesn’t say a memorial, as if they were to merely remember the occasion, but they were to look at is as representative of what happened. That word, zikaron, or memorial is coming in verse 40. But now we are told that it is to be a sign. As a sign, it thus conveys a message. That message is implicitly conveyed in the next words…

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers,

Censers are mentioned 10 times in this chapter; eight of those times it is referring to these 250 censers. However, only this once are they described as nekhosheth, or bronze. In the Bible, bronze mainly signifies judgment, but also endurance.

The judgment can be negative, such as in the case of bronze fetters being worn by those who have been sentenced for a crime, but it can also be one of purification and justification, such as in the cleansing of the people through the offerings made upon this altar.

These censers are first described here in this verse as a sign. They are to alert the people to God’s judgment. It will be carried out in the people for offense, or it will be carried out on this altar in place of their offense. It is also as a sign to alert the people to their need for endurance in staying the course set out for them in the law which is highlighted through the sacrificial system. The sign of judgment and endurance is to be remembered in these censers…

^{39 (con’t)} which those who were burned up had presented,

The sign is the brass in the form in which it is presented. It is an expansion of brass, as a sign of pounding the earth in passion. It is a plate of brass as a sign that man is easily ensnared in sin. And it is a sign in the covering of brass which tells man that his walk before the Lord is covered in His judgment, be it positive or negative. All of this is reflected in the next words once again…

^{39 (con’t)} and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar,

There was in the fabrication of this covering a purposeful, passionate, and intentional hammering of the bronze. It was then placed as a covering on the altar which was already overlaid with bronze. It is the brazen altar, not the golden altar, to which this was applied. The golden altar, standing in the Holy Place, would not be seen by the people. However, the brazen altar would be, and so it was covered by this magnificent sign to the people, and…

⁴⁰ to be a memorial to the children of Israel 

Here the word zikaron, or memorial, is used. The brass is a sign, but it is to be a memorial. This is something which brings to remembrance. And that which is to be called to memory is…

^{40 (con’t)} that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord,

Korah was a Levite, but he was not a priest because he did not descend from Aaron. That was made explicit in the law, and yet he presumptuously came forward, along with the other rebels, and tried to usurp the priesthood. The sign of the bronze covering was to be used as a memorial to bring to mind the consequences of violating the law of the priesthood. This was so…

^{40 (con’t)} that he might not become like Korah and his companions,

In the Hebrew, there is the understanding – in an absolute sense – that if someone were to do what Korah did, they would share in the same fate as befell him and his companions. Some might argue that this is not the case though. King Uzziah did exactly this in 2 Chronicles 26, and there it is said that leprosy broke out on his forehead. How can that be compared to Korah?

It is because it goes on to say that, “King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord” (v.21). Having leprosy meant that King Uzziah was as if dead to the throne, to the people, and to the house of the Lord.

In fact, the account then says that his son Jotham was over the king’s house and it was he who judged the people of the land. Other than physical death, the same outcome rested on Uzziah as on these rebels.

And it may be considered that Uzziah’s punishment was worse than that of Korah in one way, and comparable in another. He was trapped in a body of death while still living, whereas Korah was trapped in a living body in death – having been swallowed up alive by the pit. Uzziah failed to heed the warning, and he – in fact – became like those who offended the Lord in this way before Him.

^{40 (con’t)} just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

This is the word of law. It was Aaron, and those who issued from him and who served as priests, that were authorized to offer incense before the Lord. Korah knew the law; Korah violated the law, the Lord determined the sentence, and the judgment of the Lord was rendered upon Korah.

I will dwell in them, even as their breath of life
And walk among them, so I shall do
I will be their God, between us no strife
And they shall be My people, to them I will be true

 Therefore, Come out from among them, I say
And be separate, says the Lord
Do not touch what is unclean; from it turn away
And I will receive you, according to My word

I will be a Father to you, and you My children
Yes, you shall be My sons and daughters, it is true
Says the Lord Almighty, and so I say again
Come out from among them, so you shall do

II. The Very Next Day (verses 41-50)

⁴¹ On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”

It wasn’t weeks or months later, but the very next day that the entire congregation complained against Moses and Aaron. The word translated as complained is lun. It means to remain overnight, such as in lodging. The idea is that their minds remained unconverted by what happened, and thus they simply continued down the same path, grumbling against Moses and Aaron.

In this, they go even further by accusing them of killing the people of the Lord. Because the two hundred and fifty men were leaders of the congregation, it was as if they represented all of the people, even though Moses and Aaron had specifically prayed that the whole congregation not be destroyed. All they could see was that it was Moses who told the people to bring their incense before the Lord, and thus they have deduced that it was Moses’ fault that they died. And it is true that Moses, believing the words of the law, knew the assured outcome, but this does not mean that he was responsible for their actions any more than he was responsible for King Uzziah’s many centuries later.

The people wrongfully accuse Moses and Aaron of murder, but once again, an attack against them for something that the Lord did is actually an attack against the Lord. Thus, this cannot go well for the people…

⁴² Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

There was enough force behind the moaning that the people came in a united way against Moses and Aaron, probably to their tents which stood just before the entrance to the sanctuary. While standing there accusing them, they turned to see some aspect change in the cloud.

It always remained above the tent of meeting, but what probably happened is that it completely enshrouded it. In doing so, the glory of the Lord, which was between the cherubim above the mercy seat radiated out through the cloud, just as it did on the day when the tabernacle was first raised up. The cloud then, at the same time revealed and also concealed the Lord’s glory.

⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

Here it says they came el pene ohel moed, or “to the face of the tent of meeting.” This is explained in verse 50 as being its door. As the glory of the Lord radiated out of it, they could not enter, just as they could not on the first day it was erected. Instead, it is at the door of the tent where they received the word…

⁴⁴ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

It is obvious that the presence of the Lord in this manner was a summons to come to Him, and to receive instruction from Him. It was also obvious, based on past experience, that this could only mean disaster for those who had challenged them. And so it is…

⁴⁵ “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

Here is a word not yet seen in Scripture, ramam. It means to rise up above, or even to exalt. The words of this clause are identical to the words of verse 21, with this one exception. In verse 21, they were told to badal, or separate themselves from the congregation. Now they are told to ramam, or rise up from the congregation.

The intent of the change seems obvious. They were wallowing with those who were beneath them in dignity. The Lord is indicating that they are not just miscreants who should be separated from and then destroyed, but they are lowly refuse who should be risen above and destroyed. And so the Lord says to them, he-romu mitok ha’edah ha’zot – “You get up from this congregation.”

^{45 (con’t)} And they fell on their faces.

It is the same reaction from them that was seen in verse 22. A second time the mediators of the Lord had been rejected by the people, and a second time they again refuse the admonition to remove themselves from them, but instead immediately move to mediate on their behalf. The immense love of Moses and Aaron for the people is seen in their continued care of them, despite their ill treatment from them.

⁴⁶ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation

Korah felt that he was deemed holy to the point that he could perform the duties of the priests. It was his violation of the law of presenting incense before the Lord which proved that this was not so. However, the people have rejected that, and thus they have rejected the Lord’s decision concerning Aaron’s priesthood.

That means that they stand as a people without a mediator. Aaron must rectify this by responding as their mediator and making atonement for them.

The way he is to do this is by taking ha’makhtah, or “the censer.” It is not just any censer, but Aaron’s censer used for high priestly duties which is now set in contrast to the 250 censers of the rebellion. Makhtah comes from a root meaning destruction or ruin. Thus, ha’makhtah, picturing the sole mediation of Christ, is to be used in the sense of removal.

Into that, he was to put fire. This would be from the brazen altar, the fire first lit by the Lord, and which signifies Christ’s fire of purification. On that, he was to put qetoreth, or incense. The priestly incense was described in Exodus 30, every ingredient of which pointed to Christ and His work as revealed in Scripture. It truly was an astonishing study.

^{46 (con’t)} and make atonement for them; 

Atonement is normally made through a blood sacrifice, but the idea here is that in the burning of the incense upon the holy fire, there would be removal and purification. As incense pictures prayer, it is thus picturing the prayers of Christ the Man on behalf of His people, and the purification of the people by God through Christ.

As the ingredients of the incense picture Him, they are considered a sufficient offering of His life to God. If Aaron were to not make this offering, all the congregation would be lost. Moses knows this and proclaims…

^{46 (con’t)} for wrath has gone out from the Lord.

The word qetseph, or wrath, has only been used in Numbers 1:53 –

“but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”

That charge of the tabernacle failed. Korah was a Levite, and he failed to adhere to his assigned duties. The people, in turn, rejected the Lord’s rejection of this, thus ha’qetseph or, “the wrath” which was promised had gone out, and because of this…

^{46 (con’t)} The plague has begun.”

This word, negeph, or plague, is only used seven times in the Bible and all are in relation to the people of Israel. The first was in relation to the blood of the Passover lamb saving the firstborn. The second was in relation to the redemption money for the firstborn. The third was used in relation to the Levites in place of the firstborn. That was seen in Numbers 8 –

“And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” Numbers 8:19

The Levites had replaced the firstborn and were considered purified for the tasks of service. If the people approached unlawfully or incorrectly, the plague would result. It was the Levites who had the responsibility to ensure this would not occur, and yet, it was Korah, a Levite, who had violated this. He received his penalty for what he did, but the people have claimed that what happened to him was unjust. Therefore, they are now considered to have approached the Lord unlawfully. Thus, Moses knows the plague must come.

The final time negeph is used is in Isaiah 8 where it is ascribed directly to the Lord in relation to the people of Israel –

“He will be as a sanctuary,
But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 8:14

That verse from Isaiah is then used by Paul when speaking of Christ in Romans 9, and by Peter – also speaking of Christ – in 1 Peter 2. In essence, Christ became the very plague upon Israel that the blood of the lamb, the ransom money, and the Levite was to protect them from. In their rejection of Him, they rejected what these types and shadows only pictured.

He is the Passover, He is the Ransom Payment, and He is the Firstborn. Israel’s rejection of these figures equates to Israel’s later rejection of Christ. Thus, He is ha’negeph, or “the plague.” Unless Christ personally mediated for them in prayer, which He did on Calvary’s cross, they would have been utterly consumed.

However, in their rejection of Him, they have suffered the plague, meaning Christ, these past two thousand years. He has become ha’negeph upon them, just as the plague came upon the congregation…

⁴⁷ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people.

In rejection of the order of the Levitical priesthood, meaning Aaron and then the Levites below him fulfilling the place of the firstborn, they had rejected what these types pictured – Christ’s more perfect priesthood (Hebrews 2:17), and His standing as the Firstborn of God (Hebrews 1:6). In picture, it is Israel’s ongoing rejection of Him. The plague began, but Aaron ran into the midst of the assembly to stop it before it could totally consume them.

^{47 (con’t)} So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.

The offering of incense in this manner is never prescribed under the law, but Moses knew that even though the law did not prescribe it, it was not prohibited either. In the case of the plague, it was the only possible expediency to make atonement, and in fact, it is this act which pictures what it says in Hebrews 7, that Christ, “always lives to make intercession” for His people. The incense, picturing Christ and His redemptive work, is sufficient for this purpose.

⁴⁸ And he stood between the dead and the living;

These words are set in contrast to the two hundred and fifty who offered their incense and were struck dead for their actions. The offering of Aaron is accepted because he was the qualified representative, with the proper censer, the proper coals, and the proper incense. Christ stands, even now, between the dead and the living for His people.

This, however, brings forward the concept of Christ, as displayed through the apostles, in a remarkable way. The message of the apostles, meaning Christ’s Person and ministry, is that which brings life. Further, a rejection of it brings death. Aaron stood between the living and the dead bearing his incense, and this then appears to be what Paul was referring to in 2 Corinthians –

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

For Israel of today, it is the aroma of Korah and of death leading to death. However, someday the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ will be realized for them in life, leading to life…

^{48 (con’t)} so the plague was stopped.

The word for “plague” here, and in the next two verses, is not the same as the previous two. This is magephah, a slaughter. In the act of providing atonement, the slaughter of the people ended. The idea here is beautifully stated by Matthew Henry –

“Observe especially, that Aaron was a type of Christ. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove. He enters the defiled and dying camp. He stands between the dead and the living; between the eternal Judge and the souls under condemnation. We must have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins. We admire the ready devotion of Aaron: shall we not bless and praise the unspeakable grace and love which filled the Saviour’s heart, when he placed himself in our stead, and bought us with his life? Greatly indeed hath God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Matthew Henry

⁴⁹ Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident.

The specific number here is an interesting addition. The speculation on what its spiritual significance is could probably go on and on. Suffice it to say that seven is the number of spiritual perfection. The number here is a multiple of 7 X 2100. Along with those who died in the Korah incident, you would be up to somewhere around 15,000 people.

This shows that a large number died there in the wilderness due to the arrogance and folly of one main perpetrator, and a few followers with him who were then excited into a larger crowd of miscreants. From there, the entire congregation was set to be destroyed.

Jude specifically warns about false teachers and that those who hear the word should earnestly contend for the faith which has been once delivered to the saints. The consequences for failing to do so can lead to a huge number being misled and ultimately destroyed. Such is the case with those who follow Ellen G. White, Charles Tazz Russel, Joseph Smith, and countless others who have come in and drawn away large numbers who now face the consequences for following in their footsteps.

The mediation of Aaron was successful, the plague was stopped, and with that it says…

*⁵⁰ So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

It seems like an anticlimactic ending for such a marvelous chapter, but it really isn’t. Aaron is a type of Christ, the High Priest. Moses is typical of Christ, the Lawgiver. The Tent of Meeting pictures Christ’s humanity which covers His deity inside. The door is actually two-fold.

When an animal is said to be presented at the door of the tent of meeting, it is actually presented at the brazen altar which prefigures Christ’s sacrifice. It is that which then symbolically allows access through the door of the tent itself. Thus, we have a picture which is developed here.

At one point is the High Priest, the Lawgiver, the Sacrifice, and the Door to God’s paradise. All of that is seen in the Person of Jesus. It is He who has stopped the plague upon fallen man, and it is He who will stop that plague which still comes after and destroys Israel. The slaughter continues, but someday, He will stand in their midst and His offering will be the dividing line between the dead and the living. For them, it will finally be the diffusing of the fragrance of Life, leading to life. May that day be soon.

Closing Verse: “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6

Next Week: Numbers 17:1-13 Filled again with life’s breath… (Life from Death) (33^rd Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Mediator Between God and Men

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
These words He was to them then relaying

“Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest
To pick up the censers out of the blaze, as I now say
For they are holy
And scatter the fire some distance away

The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls
Let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar
———-as to you I now tell
Because they presented them before the Lord
Therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign
———-to the children of Israel 

So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers
Which those who were burned up had presented
And they were hammered out as a covering on the altar
To be a memorial to the children of Israel
———-and this is what it represented

That no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron
Should come near to offer incense before the Lord
That he might not become like Korah and his companions
Just as the Lord had said to him through Moses
———-according to that word

On the next day all the congregation
Of the children of Israel, that great horde
Complained against Moses and Aaron, saying
“You have killed the people of the Lord

Now it happened, when the congregation
Had gathered against Moses and Aaron
———-towards mayhem they seemed geared
That they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting
And suddenly the cloud covered it
———-and the glory of the Lord appeared

Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
“Get away from among this congregation
That I may consume them in a moment
———-as to you I am now relaying

And they fell on their faces
So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer
———-and put fire in it from the altar
Put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation
And make atonement for them; in this you must not falter

For wrath has gone out from the Lord
The plague has begun; that great and terrible sword

Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded
And ran into the midst of the assembly, there he went
And already the plague had begun among the people
So he put in the incense and for the people made atonement

And he stood between the dead and the living
So the plague was stopped
Now those who died in the plague were
———-fourteen thousand seven hundred
That’s how many of them dropped

Besides those who died in the Korah incident
So Aaron returned to Moses at the door
Of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped
It had ceased and the plague was no more

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

³⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ³⁷ “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. ³⁸ The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” ³⁹ So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, ⁴⁰ to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

⁴¹ On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” ⁴² Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

⁴⁴ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

And they fell on their faces.

⁴⁶ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” ⁴⁷ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸ And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹ Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. ⁵⁰ So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.